Curating a library collection is complicated. It may seem like a simple thing to choose what books should be a part of a collection, but there is a lot of thought, research, and, obviously, reading that goes into making a decision regarding a book and its appropriateness for a collection. Middle school is even harder since a sixth grader on day one and an eighth grader in May are two very different creatures. Making sure both groups have plenty of books that interest them is no easy task. 

One of the most important parts of a librarian's job is to curate a collection that helps students to see and be seen. This means that I’m choosing books that reflect the varieties of lived experiences of our students as well as books that will be authentic representations of lives that students may not encounter regularly. Reading is one of the best ways to build empathy and finding books that can do that is a special focus of mine. It’s important to understand that what is a good fit for one student might not be a good fit for another, and that’s ok. We practice self censorship in the Nighthawk Library, which means that students have the right to not read any book they aren’t interested in, disagree with, or that represents a lifestyle or topic they don’t want to read about. However, the other side of that is that students should respect each other’s choices. Choosing a book in the library is a personal decision and should be respected as such by students AND teachers. 

So how do I choose what books belong? Here are a few ways I choose books to add to the Nighthawk library. 

Reading!

   This is the best way to determine if a book is a good fit for a collection. By reading the text myself I’m able to determine what kind of student might want to read the book or find it interesting, what parts might be of concern for a student, and if the content is a good fit for our community. This is also the best way for me to choose which books need a Young Adult sticker added. 

Looking at reviews!

    There is no way any librarian can read every single book in their collection. I mean, there are over 12,000 books in the Nighthawk library…I love to read, but there’s no way I could make that happen! When I can’t read the book myself, I turn to trusted reviews to give me some feedback on the appropriate level and content. The first place I turn is Titlewave. Titlewave is under the Follett umbrella, just like Destiny that we use to check out books, and it allows me to keep a running list of books I’d like to the collection at all times. When I look up a book in Titlewave I can see the Accelerated Reader level, Lexile level, the audience level from the publisher, as well as the audience level according to Booklist, Kirkus, and School Library Journal most of the time. Now, you might be thinking “Why do we need audience levels from so many places?” It’s a good question. The reason is that they don’t always match. For example, the graphic novel version of Jason Reynold’s Long Way Down is listed as Young Adult from the publisher, Accelerated Reader at a 3rd grade level, Booklist for grades 7-10, Kirkus ages 12-18, and School Library Journal at grades 9-up. As you can see, some say middle school is right in range, others relegate it to high school. When I encounter this kind of situation and I can’t take the time to read it myself, I rely on Common Sense Media or a conversation with other librarians to finalize my choice. 

Social Media! 

   I’m active on social media in a professional manner, so I follow a lot of librarians, teachers, and authors and use their reviews to introduce me to books that might be a great fit for our students. 

Even after all of this, some books may make their way into our collection that aren’t a good fit. If you come across a book you have questions about, feel free to reach out to me! I’d love to talk to you about our collection and discuss anything you find questionable. 

Curating a collection is just one aspect of what a school librarian has to do to ensure the library is a safe and fun place for all students in the school. It’s, personally, one of my favorite parts. I hope you better understand what it takes to choose the right books for our students. 

Email me with questions, concerns, to chat about books, or if you’re interested in volunteering in the library! hufff@gcsnc.com